SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon have announced that they are moving the 2016 Marathon to Sunday 30 October rather than the traditional Bank Holiday Monday date.
Jim Aughney, the race director, said of the decision: “We are also delighted to announce that for the first time in the history of the Dublin Marathon, we have decided to move the event in 2016 to the Sunday before the October Bank Holiday Monday, in order to continue to attract international runners to Dublin.
"This year, we have over 2,000 participants coming from the UK and Northern Ireland, but we would like to see this figure double for the marathon in 2016.
"By moving the race to Sunday, we are hoping to encourage runners to spend the full weekend in Dublin, which will allow them to enjoy other activities and sights that the city has to offer before they return home after the race. Registration for the 2016 event will open in early November with information available via our website.”
This year a record number of 15,216 participants - almost 4,500 people representing 62 different nationalities and 10,800 Irish - will take to the starting line on Monday 26 October for the 36th Dublin Marathon.
In addition to this, a record number of club athletes will also be taking part, with a total of 3,853 registered. Among the clubs with huge entries are Clonliffe Harriers with 42 runners, Clonmel with 52, Crusaders with 61 and the Marathon Club Ireland with 94 entries.
Reigning women's champion Esther Macharia from Kenya is back defending her title this year with Grace Momany of Kenya and Abebech Bekele of Ethiopia expected to be the main contenders to be the first woman home.
With Maria McCambridge not competing this year, the Women’s AAI National Championship looks set to be contested between Offaly’s Pauline Curley, international mountain runner Sarah Mulligan and Michelle McGee, who recently won the Longford Half Marathon in 1:18:29.
The 2014 men's winner Eliud Too of Kenya is also back competing this year and is aiming to retain his title and beat his time of 2:14:47.
Daniel Tanui and Peter Somba also from Kenya are the most likely to cause him trouble on the course, along with Sean Hehir who will be hoping to pick up an Olympic qualifying time after missing out at the Berlin Marathon earlier this year.
Gary O’Hanlon, Barry Minnock and Eoin O’Callaghan will also be challenging Sean Hehir for the Men’s AAI National Championship title, which was won by Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harrier AC) last year.
